Learn how to Play Euchre - Lesson 10

Advanced Play Examples, page 2

"Rules were meant to be broken"

The one thing I like about playing on-line at hardwood euchre is you have to ability to go back and replay the games. It's always a pleasure to watch the top players in battle. For motivated players, this is a great learning tool.

Let's break some more rules:

Once again we're going to step beyond the box and see what happens. Most of us have been told never to lead trump when the opposition bids. But it's just another guideline. Take a look at the following example where the rule is ignored not once but twice.

In the above hand the dealer is in the West seat. Their partner(E), holding 3 Clubs, orders them to pick up the ace of clubs.

Under normal circumstances leading the right just helps the opponents make their bid. But not always. Sometimes a player just has to trust a gut feeling. Here North senses the call is weak and decides to start off the hand by leading the right. East plays the nine of Trump. South gives their partner(N) their partner a lead-back by playing the ace of hearts. West plays the ace of trump.

A better play for West would have been using the left and show his partner, the maker(E), he still held the ace.

3 trump have been played. With no power cards in his hand and because South had giving him a heart lead-back, he decides to lead trump a second time. The thought process here is to remove as many trump as possible and hope his partner in South has a hand full of aces. West takes the trick using the left. With this second lead of trump there are now 6 trump gone.

With all his trump gone, West randomly leads the jack of diamonds. His team's only hope now is that the maker(E) has aces.

Not this time, the aces are all in South's hand. South takes the trick with the ace of diamonds and leads back the ace of spades for the euchre.

Making points on a block

If you have been playing euchre for a while, you may remember a time when 'blocking' was unheard of. Today, blocking is common place and not only used at scores or 6 or 7 to 9, but used any time you have a large lead. Blocking is a way to protect that lead. Two lones could push a team that is down by 7 points into the winners circle. (BTW, all blocks should be called from 1st seat only.)

The dealer is in the West position and has just turned up the jack of hearts. North, holding only a useless nine of hearts and no possible way to stop a lone, orders the right into the dealer's hand.

When calling a block, the best possible lead is a trump. Even though you're expecting to be euchred, there is always that possibility your partner holds a strong hand in trump. Knowing this, North starts off the hand by leading the 9 of hearts. East plays the ace, South plays the left and West takes the trick with the right.

West then leads the ace of diamonds and it walks the board. Next he leads the king of spades.

Now South gets into the act and takes the trick with the ace of spades, He then thinks. 'Gee, the dealer, after taking the first trick with the right, didn't lead back the king of trump but instead played the ace of diamonds. Could this mean my queen is the boss trump?'

Well yes it was and this move turned what started out as a block turned into a 1 point hand. Hands like this not only show the importance of a trump lead on a block but the importance of paying attention to what cards have been played as well.

Please note that the above examples are not permission to throw out the guidelines suggested in earlier lessons, but instead illustrates having the ability to adapt to the situation is an essential requirement for any euchre player.

Don Bunnis the creator of
OhioEuchre.Com.
As a self-proclaimed Euchre authority, Don is involved in teaching Euchre along with the promotion and operation of Euchre tournaments.He can be reached at info@OhioEuchre.Com